Time-fuse for artillery projectiles.



` No. 728,151r PATENTED MAY-12, 1903.

' o. BKBR.

lTIME FUSE F011 ARTLLLBRY PBOJBGTILBS..

APPLIOATION'PILED FEB. l2. 1903.

b 'y ttor-neig.

y after a certain time causes a projection orf UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

" ATENT OEETCE.

CARI.' BAKER, 0E BERLIN, GERMANY.

. TIME-FU s E l-'R ARTI LLERYPRoJ taci-ILES.`

SPECIFICATION forming para of Letters Patent No.728,15`1, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed February 12, v1903. Serial No. 143,110. 4\No model.) t

T all whom, it wwf/y concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL BKER, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at8 Denne-j Witzstrasse, Berlin, Germany, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Time-Fuses for Artillery'Projectl iles, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a'time-fusefor arjtillery projectiles which has a tiring-spring' carrying a nipple, which ring-spring after the expiration of a certain variable time-is released and the ignition efectedloy-theV impact of the nipple on the percussion-cap. The release of the firing-spring takes place by clockwork mechanism having a very rapidly operating balance and escapement, which on firing off the projectile starts working and shoulder which holdsthe firing-spring in tension to move to the side, thus causing theexy plosion of the projectile.

-strong spring.

The characteristic features of the clockwork employed in the present invention for' the release of the igniting or striking spring are the very rapidly'vibrating balance and the dead-beat or repose escapeinent. The great number of vibrations (at least sixty and up to three hundredin a second) offers the following advantages:

Firste It enables the necessary setting of` the fuse to ,small fractions of a second.

Second. It permits the use of a comparatively strong balance-spring which is necessary to overcome the friction on 'the balancewheel bearings induced by the centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the shell. It. further permilsthe retention ofaslightweight in the balance. must be kept down to the utmost, because the friction on the bearings of the balance would otherwise increase to a prohibitive degree in consequence-of the centrifugal force resulting from rotation. 1

Third. With a rapid vibration the balance has, in spite of its light weight, a far-reaching power of endurance in ability to effect regulation in the clockwork, which latter, owing to great friction on the wheel-bearings due to centrifugal force, must be driven by a very A restricted weight Vis,'l1ow ever, a desideratum, as already stated, forit The weight of the balance insures the reciprocal advantage of favoring rapidity of vibrationfper second.

Fourth. The dead-beat or repose escapement'isnecessary, because I have found that sincethe axis of the projectiles rotation duringflight is'novt always coincident with the geometric axisof the projectile the pressure on the pivots' Yof fthe wheels and balance due to .centrifugal action changes d urin g the flight of the projectile and a varying degree of friction hasY to be overcome by the driving power, the

driving power being transmitted'to the balance with 'ununiformity, and with an ununiform driving force a constant movement can be attained onlyby use of a dead-beat or repose escapement. A recoil-escapement runs faster with increased driving power and more .slowly with diminished driving power.

By means of a suitable adjusting device the lapse o f time between the starting to work of the clockwork mechanism and the attainment 'ofthe position in which the firing-spring is Vreleased in the manner described may be exactly adjusted to small fractions of a second. The invention relates also to a special arrangement for adjusting the clockwork mech- Aanism,in which arrangement the copper cap is turnable and is coupled .with an adjustingvdisk of the clockwork mechanism by a connection being disengaged in tiring off the projectile, and, furthermore', to a safety device which prevents the premature release of the firing-spring land injury to the-clockwork mechanism in firing off the projectile.

The' invention .is illustrated in a number of examples in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line A A, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line B B, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the top plate of the clockwork mechanism and of the spring-casing. Fig. 4 is a section through the clockwork mechanismen the line C C, Fig. 1. Figs. 5 to S illustrate details. Fig.

9 represents another example of driving mechanism.

The .priming arrangement is of following construction: The nipple o, is mounted upon an annular spring b, Figs. l and 4, which is fixed at one side upon the base-plate c of a clockwork. mechanism and may strike through a hole in this plate c upon a copper cap disposed beneath it, which cap, however, is not illustrated. The firing-spring b lies against a projection or shoulder e' of a locking-bolt e when the said spring is in tension. The said bolt is carried through a semicircular hole e2 in the firing-spring b and is turnably mounted in both the plates c and d of the clockwork mechanism. In the position illustrated in Fig. l the shoulder or projection e' engages beneath the tiring-spring b and holds this latter away from the plate c. In the position illustrated in Fig. 4 the shoulder or projection allows the firing-spring to drop upon the plate c. The upper end of the bolt c, projecting above the plate el, carries the locking-lever g, Fig. 3. This lever when the firing-spring is in tension has its upwardly-projecting end g' outside the lockingring t', which ring is provided with a slot l and is formed by the peripheral diverted edge of an adjusting-disk s, which is fixed upon the spindle n of a wheel m of the clockwork mechanism. The adjusting-disk s is turnable upon the spindle'n, but with such friction as to cause the disk to move when the spindle is rotating.

The rotation of the locking-bolt c in the direction of the arrow is only possible if the slot lof the locking-ring faces the upwardlyprojecting end g of thelocking-leverg. Then the latter may turn in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 3 under the action of a spring f to such an extent that the firingspring b may fall from the shoulder or projection e of the locking-bolt e, with which it is in engagement. By making the shorter end of the lever g heavier than the longer end the spring may be dispensed with, centrifugal force beingsucienttooperatethelever. The lower end of the locking-bolt e has a reduced supporting extremity e5, which rests upon a plate-spring e3. In firing off the charge the spring e3 gives in to such an extent that the main part of the locking-bolt lies upon the plate c, so that the supporting extremity e5 is prevented from bending. The wheel m, and with it the locking-ring, is caused to turn by the clockwork mechanism. This latter consists of three wheels, the first of Which,m,is placed in the center of the clockwork mechanism. As the driving element a clock-spring 'm2 is em ployed, which at one end is fixed to the casing m', being rotatable upon the plate d, and at the other end on the spindle fn.. In turning the casing m the clock-spring m2 is wound up.

A spring-pressed pawl 'm3 engages in the teeth provided at the edge of the casing and prevents the casing from turning back.

The escapement is formed by two pins r, fixed either integral or otherwise on the balance, with which pins the escapement-wheel q engages. The balance r has two arms which are provided with screw-threads, carrying two adjusting-weightsr2. The spiral spring of the ordinary clockwork mechanism is in this case substituted by a straight or undulating spring r4, which at one end is xed in a hole of the axis p of the balance, while the other end plays between two pins T5. The balance performs sixty to three hundred vibrations per second, according to the proportion of the number of teeth.

In order to prevent injury on ring off the projectile, the pin of the axis p of the balance, in addition to the locking-bolt e, is supported below by a spring r6. On the ring off the spring yields. The arms of the balance being somewhat elastic are bent on firing ol the projectile and come to lie upon the plate c, while the pins r3, Fig. 4.xed upon the latter, over which the arms swing away freely in the ordinary course, protect them against sudden turns.

In order to release the clockwork m-echanism the moment of firing off and in order to secure it against the unintended release by shock,the followingarrangementis employed: Upon the spindle n of the wheel m an arm w is fixed, which engages in a recess of the lever w', Fig. 8. The latter is turnable on the under side of the plate ci around the axis cu2 and is held in the position indicated in Fig. 8 by a spring w3 and lies against a fixed pin. This pin also secures the locking-bolt e, carried through the lever, and has a pin e4, fixed in said locking-bolt, lies against a projection 104. Thus one attains that the projection g lof the locking-lever g does not lie directly against the locking-ring z', but only when the pin e4 is set free by the projection 104.

If the lever bythe centrifugal force arising in firing off the projectile swings outwardlyin consequence of the turning of the projectile, it sets -free the axis 'n and the locking-bolt e, and the clockwork mechanism may then start running. To 'prevent the premature release by shock, the lever tu is secured by the lever t, which swings around an axis lying approximately diametrically opposite the axis to2, and which is kept in the position indicated in Fig. 8 by a spring t2. The end of this lever comes to lie against a prolongation 105 at the rear end of the lever w and prevents its movement in the' direction of the arrow. The release takes place only when by the centrifugal force causes both levers to move outwardly-z'. c., in reverse directions. Screws w and t3 pass through slots in the levers w and t, the slots being concentricallyprovided to the turning axis w2 or t'. The said screws are provided with heads, and4 thus hold the levers.

The adjustment of the fuse is performed by turning by hand the copper cap, which is rotatably secured upon the fuse-stock. The copper cap lO is turnably provided upon the lower part 9 of the fuse,which is screwed upon the projectile. For securing the cap upon the base a projection 17, having a groove, is provided, in which two or more screws 19 engage with their pointed ends, so that the cap may be still turned freely without play.

For

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be closed or broken at one place.

greater security, besides the projection 17 a recess 8v is formed, in which engages acorresponding projection 7 on the cap 10. By the provision of a spring 6 in this recess the cap turns with sufficient friction.

The adjusting-disk s is provided with an outwardly-projecting pin 11, Fig. 2, which engages in a slot 12 of a spring 13, fixed within the copper capIO, so that in the turning of thecap 10 the locking-ringfi is also caused to turn, Figs. 1 and 3. This spring, which is provided immediately beside this slot with a projection 14, projecting inwardly, is bent outwardly by centrifugal forcel in tiring off the projectile, so that the pin l2 Vis set free towardthe side to which it is moved in the movement of the clockwork mechanism,which is the direction of the arrowindicated in Fig. 2. The pin is prevented from turning in the opposite direction by the projection 14, so that iu firing off the projectile the lockingring may not be put out of place.

In order to prevent the copper cap 10 from turning against the under part 9 in firing off, the ring 23, provided with a number of points 22, Fig. 5, is displaceably arranged in the interior of the copper cap 1Q. This ring may By the shock in firing off the projectile the ring is moved against the under part 9, and the angular points 22 are pressed between the projection 17 and the'cap 10. At the under part 9 a scale or division into degrees, Fig. 2, is provided, while the cap 10 has a mark or indicator, which is not illustrated. By means of this arrangement the adjustment may be effected exactly according to the desired duration of running.

For greater security against premature ignition and shock in firing off the projectile two or more pins 24 are provided in the anuular firing-spring, Figs. 4 and 7, under the pointed ends of which pins two small blocks 25 are placed, without, however, being in contact with them in the normal position, which blocks may turn around the screws 26, provided on the plate c. These blocks are held in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 4 by springs 28, and thus cover two holes 27 in the plate c, in which holes the pins may strike l when the firing-spring b falls, Fig. 7, after the blocks are pressed outwardly by centrifugal force. If on account of any cause the firing-spring would fall oi from the lockingbolt e before the action of centrifugal force upon the blocks, then the tiring-spring comes to lie with the two pointed pins upon the blocks 25 and maintains these blocks in their normal position. In this case the ignition would not be effected.. Furthermore, these blocks 25 have for their purpose to serve as support to the firing-spring, so as to prevent the excessive bending by the shockin firing off the projectile. By these supports for the firing-spring, furthermore, the blocks 25 are held in their normal position for such-time as the velocity of the projectile increases-i. e.,

so long as it is in the barrel-so that ignition in the barrel is thus impossible.

Instead of the driving by the spring m2 the driving of the clockwork mechanism may be performed by centrifugal force or by the combination of the latter and a spring. This is illustrated in Fig. 9. In this figure, upon the spindle n a toothed pinion 37 is mounted iu which engages the toothed segment 33, pivoting on the pin 32. The toothed segment is provided with a weight 34, which is pressed outwardly by centrifugal force, and thus causes the lwheel m to turn. As the weight 434 at the commencement lies near to the center, and therefore acts with less power than later, a springr 35 is provided for balancing the dierence of power, which spring by pressure upon a pin 36 on the toothed segment 33 augmeuts with decreasing power the action of centrifugal force.

The spring 35 when strong enough may -alone serve as the motive power.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A time-fuse having a releasable firing device, and a clockwork releasing said firing device after the lapse of a predetermined period of time; said clockwork having a dead. beater repose escapement positively fixing the running of the clockworkrat a constant rate and constructed to vibrate at a very large number of vibrations per second.

2. In a time-fuse, the combination with the tiring-nipple and mechanism for controlling the same, of a cap to eect the adjustment of the time of ignition and a coupling between the mechanism and the cap released upon the firing of the projectile.

3. In a time-fuse, the combination with the iring-nipple and mechanism for controlling the same, of a cap to eect the adjustment of the time of ignition, and a coupling between the mechanism and the cap moved by centrifugal force to release the mechanism which controls the nipple.

4. In a time-fuse, the combination with the spring-pressed firing-nipple,and aslotted ring, of mechanism for rotating the ring to release the tiring-pin, a cap to effect the adjustment of the time of ignition, and a coupling between the ring and the cap, moved by centrifugal force to release the slotted ring.

5. In a time-fuse, the combination with the spring-pressed firing-nipple vand a slotted ring, of mechanism for rotating the ring to re-` y lease the firing-pin, an 'outwardly-projecting pin carried with the ring, a cap to effect the adjustment of the time of ignition, and a slotted spring carried by the cap, normally in engagement with the pin carriedwith the slotted ring and thrown out of engagement therewith by centrifugal force. l

6. In a time-fuse, the combination with the spring-pressed firing-nipple, and .a slotted ring, of mechanism for rotating the ringto release the firing-pin, an outwardly-projecting pin carried with the ring, a cap to eect the adjustment of the time of ignition, a slotted spring carried by the cap normally in engagement with the pin carried with the slotted ringand thrown out of engagement therewith by centrifugal force, and a projection carried by the slotted spring to prevent the pin turning in the opposite direction.

7. In a time-fuse the combination with the fuse-stock and a cap adaptedV to turn thereon, of a ring provided with a plurality of points adapted to be forced between the cap and the fuse-stock upon firing to prevent turning of the cap.

8. In a time-fuse, the combination with the fuse-stock provided with a grooved projection, 17, and a recess, 8, of a cap adapted to turn thereon and provided with a projection adapted to fit within the recess of the fusestock, screws carried by the cap and adapted to enter the groove of the projection, 17, and a ring positioned in the recess of the fusestock to provide friction between the parts.

9. In a time-fuse, the combination with the ring-nipple and means for releasing the same at a predetermined time, of independent means to prevent the movement of the tiring-nipple until firing, moved by centrifugal force.

10. In a time-fuse, the combination With the firing-spring, the tiring-nipple, and means for releasing them at a predetermined time, of pins carried by the firing-spring, and blocks normally held in the path of the pins and moved out of said path on firing.

11. In a time-fuse, the combination with the ring-nipple, and the firing-spring, of means releasing the spring at a predetermined time, and independent means preventing the movement of the spring, and moved by centrifugal force.

12. In atime-fuse, the combination with the firing-nipple, and the firing-spring, of mechanism releasing` the spring at a predetermined time, means operated on firing releasing the said mechanism,and meanslocking the spring against movement independent of the said mechanism, also moved on firing to release the spring.

13. In a time-fuse, the combination with the firing-nipple and the firing-spring, of clock work mechanism releasing the spring at a predetermined time, centrifugally-operated means releasing the said mechanism on firing, means locking the spring against movement independent of the clockwork mechanism, also moved by centrifugal force on firing to release the spring.

14. In a time-fuse, the combination with the firing-nipple, a rotatable locking-bolt for the same, and a clockwork mechanism for releasing said looking-bolt, of a lever holding the clockwork mechanism and the lockingbolt against movement, and moved by centrifugal force to unlock both simultaneously.

15. In atime-fuse, the combination with the firing-nipple, a rotatable locking-bolt for the same, and a clockwork mechanism for releasing said locking-bolt, of a lever holding the clockwork mechanism and the lockingbolt against movement, and moved by centrifugal force to unlock both simultaneously, and another lever holding the first-mentioned lever against movement until the last-mentioned lever is moved by centrifugal force.

16. In a time-fuse, the combination with the tiring-nipple and a rotary locking-bolt for the same, of a spindle, a clockwork mechanism connected with the spindle, means connected with the spindle for releasing said lockingbolt, a pin on the locking-bolt, an arm on the spindle, a lever provided with a notch in which the arm on the spindle ts and a projection with which the pin on the locking-bolt engages, said lever being moved by centrifugal force to release the spindle and the locking-bolt.

17. In a time-fuse, the combination with the tiring-nipple, and a rotary locking-bolt for the same, of a spindle, a clockwork mechanism connected with the spindle, means connected with the spindle for releasing said lockingbolt, a pin on the locking-bolt, an arm on the spindle,alever provided with a notch in which the arm on the spindle fits, aprojection with which the pin on the locking-bolt engages, said lever being moved by centrifugal force to release the spindle and the locking-bolt, a prolongation on the lever, a second lever adapted for engagement with the prolongation on the rst lever to prevent the movement of the first lever until the second lever is moved by centrifugal force in a reverse direction.

18. In a time-fuse, the combination with the spring-pressed firing-ni pple and a rotary locking-bolt for the same, of a clockwork mechanism for releasing said locking-bolt, and a yielding plate for the locking-bolt.

19. In a time-fuse, the combination with the spring-pressed firing-nipple, of a clockwork mechanism for releasing said firing-nipple, a balance for the clockwork mechanism having a spindle, and a yielding plate for the spindle of the balance.

20. In a time-fuse, the combination with the spring-pressed firing-nipple, of a clockwork mechanism for releasing said tiring-nipple having an escapement-wheel, and a balance for .the clockwork mechanism having two pins for engagement with the escapementwheel, two arms, Weights on the arms, and a spring.

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21. In a time-fuse, the combination with the l two pins for engagement with the escapement-wheel, two arms, adjustable weights on the arms, and a flat spring; of pins carried by the plate through which the nipple works, and a yielding plate for the spindle of the balance to permit it to yield on firing and engage with the pins to prevent its turning.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. n

' CARL BAKER. Witnesses:

HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT. 

